油腻
yóunì
The English word oily is translated into Chinese as 油腻 (yóunì).
油腻 is used to describe something that is covered with or contains oil. This applies literally to things like food or skin, but it is also used figuratively to describe a person's behavior as being sleazy or sycophantic. If you want to say something is not oily, you can use 不油.
Meaning: covered with or containing oil (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 油腻 is composed of 油 (yóu), meaning 'oil' and 腻 (nì), meaning 'greasy' or 'cloying'.
Which one should you use?
While 油腻 describes a heavy, greasy sensation, the term 油性 is the technical term used for 'oil-based' or 'oil-containing', such as when referring to oil-based paint.
How do you pronounce it?
yóunì
Did you know?
- To counter the feeling of being 油腻 after a heavy meal, many Chinese people drink 普洱茶 (Pu-erh tea), which is traditionally believed to 'wash' the oil from the throat and stomach.
- The character 腻 (nì) is used in the phrase 腻烦 (nìfán) to describe a psychological state of boredom or annoyance caused by excessive repetition. This connects the physical sensation of being 'cloyed' by food to the mental state of being 'fed up' with a situation.
- While 油腻 is often a negative descriptor for food, the related word 油润 (yóurùn) is a high compliment in Chinese aesthetics. It describes skin or objects that have a healthy, luminous, and hydrated sheen rather than a greasy appearance.
Examples in context
- 油腻的食物Oily food
- 油腻的面条Oily noodles
- 那家餐厅的食物太油腻了！The food at that restaurant is so oily!
- 夏天我的皮肤变得很油My skin becomes oily during the summer.
- 她每天都抱怨她的头发很油She complains about her oily hair every day.
- 约翰在炒菜时放了太多油，结果菜变得很油乎乎John added too much oil to the stir-fry, making it excessively oily.
- 这道菜太油腻了。This dish is too greasy.
- 这些炸鸡太油腻了。Zhèxiē zhájī tài yóunì le.This fried chicken is too oily.
- 我不喜欢油腻的食物。Wǒ bù xǐhuān yóunì de shíwù.I don't like oily food.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing the food at a new restaurant.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这个菜感觉很油腻。Zhège cài gǎnjué hěn yóunì.This dish feels very oily.
- 梓涵 Zihan确实，我也觉得太油腻了。Quèshí, wǒ yě juéde tài yóunì le.Indeed, I also think it is too oily.
- 志强 Zhiqiang那我们换一家店吧。Nà wǒmen huàn yī jiā diàn ba.Then let's change to another restaurant.
- 梓涵 Zihan好啊，听你的。Hǎo a, tīng nǐ de.Okay, I'll follow your lead.
